A missiological evaluation of Christian responses to reincarnation

Abstract

This dissertation is a missiological evaluation of the challenges presented to Christian faith by reincarnation. Owing to the far-reaching theological implications of reincarnation, I have made use of an analytical grid to structure the research. It consists of seven sections, namely God, anthropology, ethics, hamartiology, soteriology, theodicy and history. This grid has been used to examine reincarnation as espoused in the Bhagavad-Gita (chapter 2) , as propounded by the well-known Hindu Swamis Vivekananda and Prabhupada (chapter 3) , and in the responses of four Christian theologians (Geddes MacGregor, John Hick, Vishal Mangalwadi and Edmond Robillard) to reincarnation (chapter 4) . There are many individuals within Western society who are attracted to reincarnation. My concern is to evaluate whether the Christian church can incorporate reincarnation in its religious worldview. In chapter 5, I give an evaluation of this question from a Reformed theological perspective.

Hierdie verhandeling is 'n missiologiese beoordeling van die uitdagings wat die leerstelling van reinkarnasie aan die Christelike geloof hied. As gevolg van die verreikende implikasies van reinkarnasie, gebruik ek 'n analitiese raamwerk om vorm te gee aan die· ondersoek. Hierdie raamwerk bestaan uit sewe onderafdelings, naamlik die beskouings oor God, mens, etiek, sonde, verlossing, teodisee en geskiedenis. Hierdie raamwerk word gebruik om die leerstelling van n!inkarnasie te ondersoek soos wat dit aan die orde kom in die Bhagavad-Gita (hoofstuk 2), in die geskrifte van die twee bekende Swamis Vivekananda en Prabhupada (hoofstuk 3) , en in die reaksies van vier Christenteoloe (Geddes MacGregor, John Hick, Vishal Mangalwadi en Edmond Robillard) op reinkarnasie (hoofstuk 4). Daar is heelwat mense in die Westerse samelewing wat aangetrokke is tot reinkarnasie. My vraagstelling is om te evalueer of die Christelike kerk re'inkarnasie in sy godsdienstige wereldbeeld kan opneem. In hoqfstuk 5, gee ek 'n beoordeling van hierdie vraag uit 'n Gereformeerde teologiese gesigspunt.